Some Trolley Transfer Tickets from New York City and Westchester

Source: "Third Avenue Railway System Transfer Forms", by Melvin Rosenberg, in New York Division Bulletin, Electric Railroaders' Association, Vol. 34, Number 1, January, 1991."

  A brief introduction to this topic will follow in a few days.  Although this topic does not deal with maps or analysis, railway transfer tickets may be the only information that a person may have of certain street railway information from about 100 years ago.  In the New York region, these artifacts provide a great deal of information that otherwise would be lost regarding routes, route numbers, transfer rules and even ticket and printing technology.  More to follow on this topic.
Tramway Null(0).  This topic comes from an historical article written by Melvin Rosenberg many years ago.

Sea Surge Data from FEMA in Relation to Rapid Transit in New York

  As part of the shape file that is available from FEMA, is a sea surge variable that is interesting.  Not a geology student, I can see now that flooding can be caused by wave height and the shape of the waves as well.  Simple street elevation is not enough to show which areas are at risk of flooding.  The shape, height and angle of a barrier can determine the extent of damage that may occur.  I hope that this map is helpful even though according to FEMA, the data is not complete.  I brought in the shape files of New York Subways and Railroad because this is the subject of our blog.  Although not shown on the map below, Manhattan is not effected by this FEMA map, except for a very small area near Marble Hill.

Elevations in Feet Near the Rockaway Park Station and Yard in Queens

The area shown by the map was hard hit by Sandy.    Map produced using ARCGIS.

A GRASS 6.4.1. Output Aspect (Terraine Analysis) map of the Hammel's Wye Area below:

Steinway Tunnel Trolley Map 1907 and Queensboro Plaza Area Maps

Source: B. Linder, "Flushing Line Queensboro Plaza Area, 1924-38", "Flushing & Astoria Lines Queensboro Plaza Area, 1917-1924", "Steinway Tunnel Trolley 1907", in New York Division Bulletin, ERA, Vol .34, No. 1, January, 1992, pp.3,5.

  The Queensboro Plaza elevated station has today four tracks on two levels with center island platforms.  In years past, the complex was more complex with eight tracks on two levels.  The service pattern was more complex with joint BMT IRT operation on I believe both branches. The 2nd Avenue El also ran to the plaza after crossing the Queensboro Bridge.  In the left hand corner of one of the maps, is an interesting diagram of the Steinway Tunnel Trolley that was originally built between Lexington Avenue (Grand Central) and 21Street in Queens.  I believe that although the wire was up and the system was complete, no revenue trips were run using trolleys and the tunnel was unused after many years until it was converted to subway rapid transit configuration with third rails.  These two tubes are used today by Number 7 Flushing Line trains.

ARCGIS "What Could Have Been Map"

Map of what could have been drawn to the best of my ability. 

Closer View of Street Construction on Pitkin Avenue, 1951

Is the construction on Pitkin Avenue between Elderts Lane and Forbell Street related to the 76 Street Station mystery? Lighter street surface circled by thin red line.

1951 Aerial View of Area 51, Rosewell Queens Does Not Reveal to Much Except that Elderts Lane and Drew Street, the street seems to be new.

Area Around the 76 Street Station in Queens 76 Street and Pitkin Avenue

Street Map Showing the location of the 76 Street - Pitkin Avenue Intersection in Queens, N.Y.

New York City Transit Authority's "Area 51" - Not in Roswell but the 76 Street Station

This track diagram which comes from the New York Division Bulletin of July 2001   (Page 16) was drawn by David Rogoff and found in an article in the New York Divsion Bulletin written by Bernand Linder.  This track diagram is not of that of street railway but was drawn to show the trackage for the extension of the IND subway in Brooklyn.  Much has been written on this topic and the long and short of it is that the diagram shows a four track station in the right hand side of the diagram with two tiled platforms.  It seems that the unused station is blocked by a bulkhead and that no one can, or has permission to observe the station, if any.  Perhaps the station extends just a few feet behind the bulkhead?  My purpose here is not to find out if the station exists, but to see if any of the mapping techniques can reveal something.  Remember I do not have the deLuxe edition of ARCGIS and I cannot do a thorough analysis and I am not an expert on this matter.    It is ironic that the above trackage, shown on the left hand side of the diagram exists and is well used and was built almost at the same time of the Roswell incident in New Mexico.

To Be Continued...   Tramway Null(0)